Punjab- An insight into the land of five rivers
The land of five rivers, Punjab bears a rich cultural heritage. It was home to our early forefathers- the Harappans, withstood the Mughal invasion and suffered the grief of Partition. A tour of four of its prominent cities follows.
THE LAND of five rivers or ‘Panj ab’ situated on the western shoulder of India is a land of bonhomie, of opportunity and of colour. Punjab is divided into doabs of Sindh Sagar, Chaj, Rachna, Majha and Bist on the basis of land that stretches between each of its five rivers- Satluj, Ravi, Beas, Chenab and Jhelum. Deeply rooted in history; Punjab was home to our early forefathers- the Harappans, this land withstood the Mughal invasion, suffered the grief of partition and is now a stoic member of the country, displaying its battle scars with pride. The land is blessed with fertile soil and an industrious population.
The majority of population in Punjab consists of Sikhs followed by Hindus. The 1947 partition left this land devoid of a sizeable Muslim population. A land associated with agriculture, Punjab indeed owes most of its wealth to fertile soil, benevolent weather conditions and a well placed irrigation system. Punjab has recently seen a growing trend towards organic farming with a number of farmers shunning chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Punjab’s contribution towards the GDP of the country has been tremendous over the past few years. The initial spurt came with the Green Revolution and has been helped by the industrial growth over the years.
Ludhiana also holds the coveted advantage of having the most expensive fertile land in India and is Punjab’s richest district. Ludhiana is also a popular destination for Medical Tourism with hospitals like CMC and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
Amritsar is best known for its handicrafts market selling Punjabi juttis, textiles, blankets and other items as well as savoury street food. The city has an International airport that caters to the US, Europe and several mid- western countries. The Government has recently announced its decision to set up a Special Economic Zone in the region and that has led to a spurt in property prices around Amritsar. And while Amritsar is booming in the Real estate sector, it lags behind in industries, owing perhaps its proximity to the border with Pakistan.
The sporting culture doesn’t just end there. Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh belongs to Jalandhar as well as Olympians Balbir Singh, Ajit Pal Singh and Surjit Singh. Other famous personalities associated with this land include Arun Shourie, Kapil Sibal and Sunil Dutt. Jalandhar is also known for its electrical and leather works industry that exports goods to countries all over the world.
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Although not considered the conventional tourism hub, Punjab has made great strides in this direction. Medical tourism has been promoted on a wide scale. Hospitals in Chandigarh and Ludhiana attract patients from across India and the world for complicated surgical procedures. Another unconventional tourism aspect being explored by the Punjab government is ‘Golf Tourim’. Some of India’s top golfers like Chiranjeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Irina Brar hail from Punjab and steps are being taken to promote the culture of golf throughout the state. Punjab can never entirely be separated from sports and has produced several sports heroes in cricket, hockey, wrestling and golf. The most recent and prominent being Abhinav Bindra, who fetched India its first Olympic Gold.
Chandigarh
Punjab shares Chandigarh as a capital with Haryana. And it has all the reasons to stake claim on this wonderful city which serves as an example all over the world of urban planning and architecture. Chandigarh was designed by Le Corbusier and is known for its landscaped gardens and pollution free environs. Symbolised by the Open Hand, the city lives up to its credo of ‘Open to give and open to receive’. The city is an established education hub offering a variety of courses and disciplines and plays a gracious host to thousands of students from all over the country.
Chandigarh is also on its way to becoming an IT hub with the setting up of the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park.
Chandigarh is a city of innovations and has a number of achievements in its kitty. Apart from holding the distinction of having the highest per capita income in the country (Rs. 99,262 at current prices in 2006-07), it is India’s first city to introduce an effective no smoking ban. The example set by the city has been adopted in Bahrain and is now being implemented in other cities across India too. Another pioneering step taken by Chandigarh was the opening of a Condom Bar cum Disco. What had been dubbed as a risky move in the beginning soon proved to be a success with world media homing in and reporting about the unique concept.
Ludhiana
Ludhiana is often referred to as ‘Manchester of the North’ because of its industrial houses. Some of the biggest names in the knitwear industry (Oswal) and cycle industry (Hero cycles, Avon cycles) can be found in this city. It is also known for manufacturing heavy machinery, automotive parts and other consumer goods. Ludhiana contributes a hefty chunk in India’s exports abroad. Recently listed by the World Bank on top of 17 other Indian cities in its ‘Doing Business in India 2009 Report’, Ludhiana has a conducive business environment.
Ludhiana also holds the coveted advantage of having the most expensive fertile land in India and is Punjab’s richest district. Ludhiana is also a popular destination for Medical Tourism with hospitals like CMC and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
Amritsar
Amritsar can be defined as a city that best personifies Punjab. This city of twisting and turning lanes, of crowded markets, of holy temples, of delicious food and of warm people appeals to most first time visitors. Home to the Golden Temple and several other prominent Gurudwaras and temples, Amritsar exudes an aura of spirituality even amidst the blaring horns. The Jallianwala Bagh and the Wagah Border Parade are major attractions for tourists.
Amritsar is best known for its handicrafts market selling Punjabi juttis, textiles, blankets and other items as well as savoury street food. The city has an International airport that caters to the US, Europe and several mid- western countries. The Government has recently announced its decision to set up a Special Economic Zone in the region and that has led to a spurt in property prices around Amritsar. And while Amritsar is booming in the Real estate sector, it lags behind in industries, owing perhaps its proximity to the border with Pakistan.
Jalandhar
This quiet and reticent city is actually a dynamo. What once marked the easternmost limit of Macedonian Ruler Alexander’s empire is today a prominent city in Punjab. Jalandhar is known around the world for its sporting goods industry. Estimated to have a turnover to the tune of Rs. 450 crore, this industry consists of around 100 major units and thousands of smaller manufacturing units that produce equipment like inflatable balls; cricket balls and bats; badminton racquets and shuttle cocks as well as protective gear like pads, guards and gloves.
The sporting culture doesn’t just end there. Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh belongs to Jalandhar as well as Olympians Balbir Singh, Ajit Pal Singh and Surjit Singh. Other famous personalities associated with this land include Arun Shourie, Kapil Sibal and Sunil Dutt. Jalandhar is also known for its electrical and leather works industry that exports goods to countries all over the world.
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